With memory devices becoming more popular with people and memory capacity becoming larger, portable plug-and-play (PnP) electronic products are in wide use. Conventional portable electronic devices each comprise a casing and a body enclosed therein. The body of the conventional electronic device comprises a storage unit and an electrical connection unit protruding out of the casing. The storage unit can be connected to an external electrical connection end via the electrical connection unit so as to enable data transmission. The external electrical connection end is exemplified by a USB flash drive or a USB stick.
As mentioned earlier, the electrical connection unit is exposed from the casing. The casing consists of an upper cover and a lower cover. Due to the two aforesaid features, conventional portable electronic devices are vulnerable. The electrical connection unit is likely to be hit and damaged, because it is exposed from the casing. The upper and lower covers can be crushed as a result of a hit on the casing. To overcome the aforesaid drawbacks of conventional portable storage devices, protection for the electrical connection units of recently developed portable storage devices is improved. For example, the electrical connection unit of a portable storage device is covered with a protective cover whenever the portable storage device is idle. Alternatively, the electrical connection unit is retractable into the casing. Normally, the retraction of the retractable electrical connection unit is performed manually by means of a manually operated rod. Nonetheless, it is not uncommon for the portable electronic device to become inoperable after the manually operated rod has severed under an inappropriate force.
Taiwan Patent No. M360428, entitled Connector Retractable Device for USB Flash Drive, discloses two bilaterally disposed spring structures for use with a USB flash drive such that a push exerted on the rear end of the body of the USB flash drive by the user is followed by automatic retraction and resultant positioning of the body of the USB flash drive under the reaction of the springs abutting against the body of the USB flash drive. However, the spring structures of Taiwan Patent No. M360428 have the following drawbacks: failure to demonstrate ease of use, user-based operation-dependent retraction function, and the likelihood of damaging the body, or crushing the upper and lower covers, of the USB flash drive as a result of a hit thereon. Similar drawbacks are found in Taiwan Patent No. M376871 entitled Flash Drive Having Retractable Connector.
Accordingly, it is imperative to provide a portable electronic device advantageously characterized by enhanced protection for its body and a electrical connection unit, a reinforced casing structure for protecting the received electrical connection unit and body, automatic accommodation of the electrical connection unit in the casing without requiring a user to touch a driving rod, and a structure conducive to easy separation of the body and the casing so as to facilitate maintenance.